"It was a very hard match," this year's French Open finalist Ferrer said. "I tried to fight a lot and to be focused in the right moments and eventually I won."

There were only been 12 five-set matches in the first two rounds of the men's singles at Wimbledon, which was the fewest at the grasscourt grand slam in the Open era.

Ferrer's famed staying power came into its own as he got on top in the fourth set and ended the resistance of Dolgopolov to set up a fourth round match against Croatia's Ivan Dodig. (Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by xxx)